Four Decades of Breeding and Increasing Plant Density Management Reshaped Maize Root System Architecture
August Thies, Cintia Sciarresi, Slobodan Trifunovic, Douglas Eudy, Tony J. Vyn, Sotirios V. Archontoulis, Christopher N. Topp
This study examines how four decades of maize breeding and increased planting density have altered root system architecture, showing smaller roots but greater soil exploration in modern hybrids.
bioRxiv · Dec 16, 2025 · PreprintPlant Biology